The Boy in Belarus
The photo got me. A little boy in a red snow suit, delighting in the pigeons. His sled and backpack nearby. A beautiful winter wonderland behind him. It could have been one of my kids. Same kind of snow suit. Same boots. Same rosy cheeks beneath a snuggy cap.
But what a terrible, terrible story. It made me sick to read it.
In 16 years as ruler of Belarus, President Aleksandr G. Lukashenko has often been called Europe’s last dictator. But the plight of the child, Danil Sannikov, may represent a new tactic in the government’s persecution of the opposition, one that harks back to the Stalin era, when the children of so-called enemies of the people were sent to orphanages after their parents went to the gulag.
“Even in my worst nightmares I could not have conceived that this could happen,” said the child’s grandmother, Lyutsina Khalip.
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Re: The Boy in Belarus
How horrible. It sounds like there will be more dark days ahead for Belarus:
Re: The Boy in Belarus
The best protection for that boy is publicity. For years Belarus has been allowed to do what it does because of Europe's indifference. Let's hope that this ugly threat will change that.
Re: The Boy in Belarus
The best protection for that boy is publicity. For years Belarus has been allowed to do what it does because of Europe's indifference. Let's hope that this ugly threat will change that.
Re: The Boy in Belarus
Exactly.
Jun '10
Re: The Boy in Belarus
It's just a method of torture, with plenty of scars, but no physical scars.
May '10
Re: The Boy in Belarus
What I hear from business associates in Minsk is very dark and frightening. A programmer we had been unable to reach for weeks finally turned up; not back from vacation but just released from prison. He was swept up in the mass arrests around the recent elections, possibly because of his frequent (and politically irrelevant) contacts with foreigners, or perhaps (in his words) because he was just standing around when they came by.
I don't know that publicity will make much difference. This regime seems insensitive to world opinion and very comfortable in the protective shadow of Russia. And "European indifference" is an accurate depiction. They will likely make protestations, but little more. Sad days indeed for Belarus.
May '10
Re: The Boy in Belarus
After reading this story several times I kept coming back to this line; "They are capable of squeezing her" how detestable that people are forced to live with such an overwhelming sense of fear.
Re: The Boy in Belarus
Yes, right wingah, I agree. As a parent, how painful that "squeeze" is. This is the second most painful line, in my opinion (best read in context):
May '10
Re: The Boy in Belarus
This reminds me of the importance of gun ownership. Government cannot protect us from itself. Each of us is individually responsible for protecting our neighbors from government tyranny and criminal oppression.
Sadly, I agree with Dean about the effects of publicity on tyrannical governments. In fact, Belarus would fit right in with the rest of the U.N.'s "defenders" of human rights.